by Joann Baker
˜**˜
Georgia stared at the food spread out on the blanket beneath the big River Birch at the end of the back yard. Even though Ryder had wanted to have the picnic on her bed, she’d insisted on getting outside. The walls were closing in on her. She’d said as much earlier to Pops so he’d set out on a mission to find a set of crutches that Ryder had used when he’d broken a leg in a high school playing football. After a short stint in the attic, he’d come back downstairs with cobwebs in his white hair and the much-needed crutches clutched triumphantly in hand.
“This is a lot of food.”
“I wasn’t sure what you liked.” Ryder held the crutches in one hand and eased her into a sitting position on the blanket with the other. Leaning the crutches against the base of the big tree that, thankfully, shielded them from the prying eyes of his family, he dropped down opposite her.
Georgia stared at him, gauging his words. At first, she’d been afraid he’d provided so much food because of her size. Now, however, she could see that he’d seriously only wanted to please her.
“I like pretty much anything but seafood.” She picked up a strawberry and bit into it. “Oh, wow.”
“Nice, huh? Gramps orders them straight from a producer in Florida.” Ryder handed Georgia a plate and took one for himself. “So you don’t like shrimp? Or lobster?”
“Sorry, no.”
He reached for a crispy chicken leg and offered the container to her, waiting until she’d picked a breast for herself. “Don’t be sorry, honey. You like what you like.”
“I like you.” Georgia willed herself not to blush. Those pain meds Pops had gotten from his doctor friend must have been stronger than she thought. They had definitely lessened the pain in her ankle—and loosed her tongue.
He still for a moment and she thought she might have gone too far. Then, he cleared his throat and spoke. “Then you have excellent taste.” He spooned potato salad onto her plate and leaned close, his minty breath whispering across her face. “And for the record, I like you, too.”
Georgia felt the familiar thrill race through her when he grinned at her. His smile was perfect, just like the man himself. “I didn’t at first, you know.”
The sheepish look that crossed his handsome face was even more adorable than his smile. “I admit, I was a little bit of a dickwad. But it was only because I liked you right off.”
Georgia held back a giggle. “What is this, third grade?”
“No.” He scooted closer. “I couldn’t kiss you like this if it were.”
His lips met hers and Georgia forgot the teasing comment burning on her tongue. The light brush of his lips against hers had her leaning into him, silently begging for more. He didn’t disappoint as he deepened the kiss, pushing past her lips to find the sweetness inside.
“You taste even better than those strawberries.”
Georgia forced herself to pull back, putting physical as well as emotional distance between them. Things were moving just a little faster than she could handle. Her body wanted to reach out and grab the hot cowboy and never let go until the storm of feeling brewing between them abated. But storms came with lightning. She didn’t need to get burned.
“Eat your chicken, cowboy.”
“Okay,” Ryder backed off, sensing her withdrawal, “but it won’t taste as good.” He grabbed a fork and leaned his back against the tree, urging her to do the same. “So,” he said as they settled in and began to eat, “we’ve determined that you don’t like seafood, but do like strawberries and” he leaned forward to peer into her plate, “chicken. Let’s move on to what kind of movies you like.”
Georgia spooned a forkful of potato salad from his plate, smirking as he pulled his plate back in mock disbelief.
“Stealing is a hanging offense in these parts, ma’am.”
Georgia giggled at his affected speech. He sounded like an actor in one of those old spaghetti westerns her dad loved so much. “That rule applies only to horses, cowboy. Besides,” she whisked another forkful from his plate, “I’ve finished mine already.”
“Damn, you city girls are quick.”
“Survival of the fittest, my friend.” Georgia set her plate aside and reached for another strawberry. “I like romance…”
“Of course,” Ryder snorted.
She gave him a quelling look. “And comedies and horror movies.”
“What about action?”
“Damn, little brother, that’s what I call being direct.”
Startled, Georgia dropped the strawberry she’d just bitten into.
“Shit, Gabe, what are you doing sneaking up on us like that?”
“Ha,” Gabe snorted, “you two were so busy making goo-goo eyes at each other, a damn army could have walked upon you and you wouldn’t have noticed.”
Realizing that his brother was right but resenting the intrusion, Ryder glared up at him. “That doesn’t tell me why you’re here.”
“Because, idiot, Sunshine is about to get wet.”
Georgia bit her lip, embarrassed at Gabe’s knowing look. If any man knew what an aroused woman looked like, it would be the smirking cowboy staring down at her. “I don’t know what you mean.” Her chin came up. The best defense was a good offense.
Another snort from the big cowboy. “You two are beyond help. I hope you at least have sense enough to come in out of the rain.”
Georgia looked up at the sky just as the first fat raindrops hit her face. Ryder cursed, jumping to his feet and immediately pulling Georgia carefully to hers. He lifted her, pulling her tightly against his chest.
“The crutches,” she protested. “And the food.”
“Gabe will get them later.” He took off at a swift jog just as the clouds opened up above them. By the time they reached the house, Gabe was holding the door and Pops was waiting with fluffy towels warm from the dryer. Still, they couldn’t replace the heat of Ryder’s arms.
CHAPTER FIVE
GEORGIA SPENT THE rest of the afternoon resting on the couch at Pop’s insistence. Any other time she would have been happy to have a lazy, rainy day watching romantic comedies. Today, she spent the time wishing Ryder was there beside her. As dinner time neared, she turned off the television and used the crutches Gabe had retrieved and made her way to the kitchen.
“Hi, Pops.” With a little twisting and turning, she was able to take a seat at the breakfast bar. She leaned the crutches against the counter. “What can I do to help?”
Pops turned from the refrigerator, his arms full of vegetables. It looked as if he had enough to feed an army. “Land sakes, child, you about scared the bejesus out of me. Don’t sneak up on a person like that.”
Georgia smiled. She had been anything but quiet. No doubt, Pops suffered from some hearing loss. “Sorry.”
He dumped his armload on the counter. “You’re supposed to be resting.”
“A person can only rest so much. Hand me a knife and let me help.” She gave him her best smile. “Pretty please?”
Pops frowned at her for about a minute. “I’ve never been one to argue with a pretty lady.” He pushed the vegetables to her and gave her knife, then went to set the table.
An hour later, the back door opened, and Georgia, expecting Ryder, looked up quickly, a bright smile on her face. It fell when Calhoun walked it. He gave her a serious look and a low greeting. About five minutes later, the door opened again. This time, Georgia restrained herself, giving only a faint smile.
“Well, now sweetheart, that’s not much of a greeting,” Gabe grinned and winked at her, and she couldn’t help but smile back. He was very charismatic, but she didn’t take his flirting seriously.
“Go get yourself cleaned up, dinner’s ready,” Pops ordered as he pulled a pan from the oven. They had made meatloaf, mashed potatoes, rolls and salad for dinner. She’d also convinced him to let her make a pineapple upside down cake. She loved to bake and hadn’t had the opportunity since she’d moved to Devil’s Spur. It was no fun baking for one perso
n—plus, if she did, she’d eat the whole thing by herself which would do her waistline no good whatsoever.
By the time Gabe and Calhoun had cleaned up and come back to the table, Ryder still hadn’t made it in, and she was getting worried. Both men automatically started helping Pops carry the food to the table.
“He’s still out in the barn. One of the mares might be going into labor. He wanted to check on her.” Calhoun eased the bowl of salad she’d been half-heartedly tossing from her hands.
She picked up her crutches and was about to ease herself off the stool when the door opened once again. “Ryder!” She was so happy to see him that she almost jumped down to rush across the room to greet him. The twinge in her ankle reminded her that she couldn’t.
“Hey, beautiful.” He took off his hat and hung it on the hook by the door just as Gabe and Calhoun had done. She found it fascinating to be around so many men. At her house, women dominated with her, her two sisters and her mother. Her father was completely outnumbered.
Ryder strode toward her and placed a kiss on her forehead. “I’ll be right back.” He helped her to her feet and handed the crutches to her, helping her get them under her arms before hurrying from the room. True to his word, he was back within ten minutes. By then Gabe and Calhoun had already eaten one helping of food and were starting on their second.
“Save some for me, you bottomless pits.” He took the empty seat by Georgia and immediately grabbed the bowl full of mashed potatoes from Gabe’s hands.
“How’s the mare?” Calhoun passed him the meatloaf and Silas handed him the rolls. Pops had already poured him a glass of water.
“I figure she’ll foal tomorrow. I told the boys to keep an eye on her tonight.” Silence reigned for the next ten minutes as the men fed their hunger. Georgia watched in amazement as the mountain of food she’d helped Pops prepare disappeared. She had a healthy appetite, but these men seemed to inhale their food. For a brief moment, she wondered what it would be like to prepare dinner for Ryder each night. She wasn’t what she’d consider an awesome cook, but she wasn’t horrible either.
Gabe took the last bite of his mashed potatoes and leaned back in his chair. “That was good, Pops, but I smell pineapple. Did you make dessert?”
“Nope.”
“Pops, I know I smell some kind of dessert.”
“That you do, but I didn’t make it. Georgie did.” Pops rose from his chair, taking his and Silas’s plate with him to the sink. He came back to the table carrying the cake pan and a stack of saucers. He placed the cake in front of Silas, who began dishing up the still warm dessert. By this time, Calhoun had risen and cleared most of the table. He helped Pops pour everyone a glass of milk.
“Man, Georgie, this is almost as sweet as you,” Gabe grinned at her as he dug into the dessert.
“Yeah, it is good.” Ryder frowned at his brother then smiled at her.
“I’m glad you like it.”
It didn’t take long for everyone to finish up. She watched, again fascinated by the dynamics of the all-male household as each took it upon themselves to help clean up the kitchen. Afterward, Calhoun excused himself to go work in the office, Gabe left for a date, and Silas and Pops went to the den to play a game of chess. That left Ryder and Georgia all alone. “You think they left us alone on purpose?” Georgie whispered.
“I know they did.”
The scent of clean male and the wild outdoors teased her, making her libido do the happy dance.
“So, what are we going to do” she teased innocently. “Watch a movie?”
“Sure, we can start with that.” He grinned at her, then scooped her up in his arms and carried her to the living room. Instead of putting her on the couch, he sat down with her in his lap, much as he had the last night they’d been alone together.
“So what do you want to watch?” She ran her fingers through his hair. It was thick and silky and still slightly damp from the shower he’d taken before dinner.
He closed his eyes and relaxed into her touch. She smoothed her thumbs against his temples before lightly kneading the back of his neck. That produced a groan of appreciation, so she kept doing it.
“Kiss me, Georgie.” He spoke without moving and, for a moment, she thought she’d imagined the words. Slowly, she lowered her lips to his.
Ryder breathed into Georgie’s mouth as she responded to his request. The light touch was enough to send a powerful surge of awareness pounding through him. He wanted this woman more than he’d ever wanted any other. The soft swells of her breasts pressed against him and the floral scent of her hair filled his senses. He gripped the back of her head and deepened the kiss, thrusting his tongue inside so he could taste her. Her mouth was soft and willing, tasting of pineapple. She tasted so damn sweet. A warm, thick heat flowed through his veins, coating and drowning out every other sensation until he was hot and hard.
He pulled back, his breathing heavy. “Georgia, I want you. Tonight. Do you understand what I’m asking?”
She looked down into his face and for a moment, searched his eyes. She must have found the answer she was looking for because she whispered the one word he’d thought he’d been waiting to hear his whole life. “Yes.”
He stood with her still in his arms and strode to the staircase to take them upstairs. Take them to heaven, he thought, his heart pounding heavily. His gaze dropped to the damp edges of her silky lips. It was too much to resist so he dipped down and kissed her again. “I’ll make it good for you, I promise, baby.”
Georgie felt her head spin as Ryder rose from the chair. She’d stopped protesting over the last two days when he picked her up and carried her. She watched his face as he moved, the long tanned column of his throat, the firm line of his jaw. Good heavens, he was handsome as sin. And he wanted her. She closed her eyes for a second, wondering if she were dreaming, had been dreaming this entire time.
Then the doubts started to flutter through. Was she making a grave mistake? She’d known this man less than a month, but she was getting ready to take him to her bed. Or, he was taking her to his.
Having sex with a man before she was married didn’t violate any strict moral code she’d set for herself. She was human enough to realize people needed the intimacy and satisfaction that came with sharing a bed. Plus, hadn’t she moved here to find herself? And finding herself included sexual experience. That didn’t mean she was turning promiscuous.
In fact, she recognized that she was taking Ryder Anderson to her bed for the very best of reasons. She was in love with him. It had been building inside her since the first time she’d laid eyes on him.
That didn’t mean, however, that this wouldn’t end in heartache. She was smart enough to realize that. She tried very hard to tuck that piece of her heart away. If it happened, she’d deal with it.
By the time her libido had stopped wrestling with her common sense, they were at his bedroom door. He turned his head and looked down at her. “Last chance,” he almost growled. “You sure about this?”
“More than you’ll ever know.” She lifted her hand from his neck and smoothed it over the stubble on his jaw.
“Then open the door, Georgie.” She reached down and twisted the handle to his bedroom, knowing her life was about to change forever.
Ryder strode into the room, his body burning with an impossible need. He placed Georgie on her feet at the side of his king-sized bed, his large hands resting on the feminine curve of her hips. She was so damn beautiful, her body so sinfully inviting. He’d never really cared for a woman who was afraid to put some meat on her bones, as Pops would say. To him, it said something about them as a potential lover if they constantly denied themselves pleasure.
She shivered beneath his touch. His fingers strayed higher, just beneath the edge of the shirt she wore, skimming the warm skin above the edge of her jeans. The shirt was one of his. It did strange, possessive things to him to know she was wearing his clothing. He watched her face as he moved his hands higher, stopping when h
e felt the edge of the lace that covered the soft globes of her breasts.
“Okay?”
“Oh, yes.”
A bolt of intense need pierced him at her whispered words.
He brushed the hardened top, wondering if her nipples were a soft rosy pink like her lips, or a deeper, darker color. There was no time like the present to find out. Easing her shirt up, he unfastened her bra, pulling the cups apart so he could see his prize.
He moaned in satisfaction as her large nipples, a deep, dark rose, were exposed to his gaze. “Baby, you are beautiful.” That was all the warning she received before his head dipped, his mouth finding the hardened nubs.
Georgie gasped as Ryder’s mouth found the aching flesh of her breasts. One of his arms came around her waist, pulling her close. When he straightened, taking her body with him, she had to stand on tiptoes, keeping most of her weight on him. All the while, his mouth worked on her breasts, sucking, tugging, pulling. The sensations went straight to her womb, causing an ache to form low in her belly.
Her fingers tangled in his hair as he switched his attention to her other breast. It received the same thorough attention and her need rose another notch. She wanted to feel the weight of his body pressing down on hers as he took her. “Ryder, please.”
He slowly pulled away. “What, I don’t please you?” he asked with a wicked grin.
Georgie blushed. “Of course, you are. I, I just…”
“Need more?” His voice deepened.
She couldn’t look at him now, her face so flushed with need, she buried it in the curve of his throat and whispered, “Yes.”
Ryder’s body jerked at the soft, moist touch of Georgie’s mouth on his skin. He wanted that same sensation everywhere. Feeling the hard ridge pressing against his jeans, he did mean everywhere.
But tonight was about her. About them, he thought hazily. Pleasing and pleasuring each other.
